


Because He Should Have Been

by SnowInkling



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Expect cameos... maybe, Gen, Lilith but she's basically Mishima's mom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-16
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-03 04:23:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12740946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowInkling/pseuds/SnowInkling
Summary: The platform sure looks like it’s for the subway, but the surrounding area was… unsettling, to say the least.“...Where am I?” Mishima asked, confusion and panic mixed together. Not knowing how to get out, he walked forward into the unknown.





	1. Just Another Normal Day--Where the Hell am I?!

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! So this fic is the result of me asking "What if MIshima had the MetaNav app but just didn't notice because he was too busy managing the Phan-Site?" Thus the reason for this existing.
> 
> Anyways, I would like to thank those whonot only motivated me to make this, but also to those who had helped with creating the type of comedy that wil (hopefully) appear in this fic, along with many other aspects (you know who you are.)
> 
> (SMS portion of this fic inspired by mellofricker's If 2 Phantom Thieves Were on the Moon fanfic (seriously, it's way easier to use that format than to explain what is typed on the phone)).

No one said that managing a website alone would be easy, let alone one dedicated to The Phantom Thieves of Hearts. Yet, Yuuki Mishima was surprisingly okay with running the Phantom Aficionado website. Not only a website for those suffering in silence needing a safe space, it was also designed to help the Phantom Thieves change the hearts of corrupt individuals, however they do it.

Sitting at a diner in Shibuya’s Central Street, Mishima sat in one of the booths with his laptop open, scrolling through the comments on the Phan-Site while sipping on the hot coffee he had ordered. For the most part, he just left the comments alone; ones where users would complain about their daily lives. But sometimes, he would notice a comment that was reaching out for help. In this case, an abuse of power in a workplace.

“This doesn’t look good…” Mishima muttered to himself. “I don’t see a name of the person either…”

Taking another sip at his coffee, Mishima pondered whether he should relay the information to the leader of the Phantom Thieves. After a while, the navy-blue-haired teen whipped out his phone and began texting.

 

_August 2, 2016_

 

 **Mishima:** Man, this is crazy.

 **Mishima:** I can’t keep up with this constant influx of posts.

 **Mishima:** Isn’t it tough being popular, Phantom Thieves of Hearts?

 **Mishima:** Anyway, here’s the interest lead I have.

 **Mishima:** This one has been about… someone abusing their power?

 **Mishima:** I wonder if it was written by a former employee of the company in question.

 **Mishima:** Apparently one of the higher-ups has been claiming the achievements of his subordinates as his own.

 **Mishima:** That really sucks.

 **Akira:** That’s some business sense

 **Mishima:** You can’t seriously just be accepting of that!

 **Mishima:** Now, I know the name of the company, but I don’t have the name of the person himself.

 **Mishima:** The company’s over in Shinjuku, so try asking around places where businessmen could hang out.

 **Mishima:** A bar at night might be a start. That should be a good place to get more info on this situation.

 **Mishima:** I hope this isn’t asking too much of you… Sorry, I’ll look for another one, just in case.

 

Mishima put his phone away, stretching. He put his laptop away, deciding to take a break from managing the site and study instead. Even though it was the summer, he didn’t want to fall behind in his studies. Ordering a nostalgic steak, Mishima pulled his schoolbooks out and started to study.

When the spiky-haired teen decided to stop studying and exit the diner, evening had set in. Stretching, he walked down Central Street in the direction of Station Square, to catch the train to Shinjuku. Mishima had wondered why he felt the need to hang around there at night and not in Central Street like he had done during May and June, but he instead opted not to question it. Mishima walked into Station Square, passing by a news reporter and a cameraman.

“...it will be a mementos occasion for all those living in the Shibuya area.” Mishima overheard the reporter.

“Did she mean ‘momentous occasion?’ _”_ Mishima muttered to himself. Yawning, he shrugged it off and headed down the stairs to the subway.

 _Wait._ He thought to himself, asking. _Why am I headed downstairs; to the Yongen line? The train to Shinjuku is above ground…_

By the time he realized, Mishima’s attention was focused on the surrounding area. The platform sure looks like it’s for the subway, but the surrounding area was… unsettling, to say the least.

“...Where am I?” Mishima asked, confusion and panic mixed together. Not knowing how to get out, he walked forward into the unknown.

Everywhere he went, MIshima was greeted to a twisted imagery of what should’ve been the Tokyo Subway, seeing what looked like people walking into train cars that were heading in the same direction as him. What creeped him out the most, though, was what looked like veins scattered around the ceiling of this place.

“H-Hello?” Mishima stuttered, calling out into the silence. “I-is anyo-one t-there?!” Hearing nothing, he stopped walking and started talking to himself.

“This can’t be real…” He put a hand on his head. “I mean, first, I’m in Station Square, but now, I’m in a bizarrely unsettling place. Could this be a dream? One that was a result of working too hard on the Phan-Site and my studies?” Just then, a  lightbulb went off in Mishima’s head. “That’s it! Maybe I’m just having one of those fever-induced lucid dreams caused by overworking myself!”

Mishima’s train of thought was interrupted when he heard chains rattling in the distance. Feeling a shiver crawl up his spine, Mishima began walking again, only to get in view of what appeared to be a robed being holding two guns in each hand and chains levitating around his torso. Screaming in sheer terror, he headed in the direction he came from, trying as best he could to get as far away from it as humanly possible. Only to run right into a person a few moments later.

“Oh jeez, I am so sorry!” Mishima profusely apologized, backing up to get a better look at the person he ran into. The problem was, he wasn’t talking to a person. He was talking to an angel holding a broadsword.

The angel swung his sword at Mishima, who barely dodged out of the way. Each attack the angel made, Mishima almost took.

 _‘If I take one hit from that sword, I’m dead!’_ Mishima thought, fearing for his life. Memories of last April filled his mind, when Kamoshida abused him and the other members of the volleyball team at Shujin. There were so many words he wanted said to the now convicted coach, words that he _should’ve_ said, but like the other members, he had been too scared to.

‘ _Why?_ ’ Mishima asked his thoughts. ‘ _Why am I thinking of this now...?_ ’

In one of the most impulsive moves he’s done, Mishima yells, “Hey, you!” The angel stopped attacking as Mishima continued, “What makes you think it’s alright for you to attack those who can’t fight back?! It’s people like you that drives me to give victims of abuse a platform to vent on!”

That’s when Mishima realized that those words were ones he needed to yell four months earlier.

“You’ve made me wait four long months, child.” A voice belonging to a young woman’s reverberated in Mishima’s head. Immediately after, wave after wave of immense pain flooded the teen’s head while the woman kept speaking. “Your determination to aid others has proven to me that you are worthy of my power. Now, show them what you can do!”

A quick burst of blue flames emerged from his face, leaving a dark blue mask in the shape of a bird’s wing. A name popped into his head as he grabbed onto the mask. “Lilith, please lend me your power!”

Mishima ripped the mask of his face, yelling in pain as flames enveloped his body. When they dissipated, A long-haired, beautifully dressed woman holding a snake was standing next to Mishima, who wore a dapper-looking ensemble with a matching tie, fedora, and umbrella.

“Wait, what happened to my clothes?!” Mishima gasped, inspecting the attire he was wearing. “And I’m sorry, but who _are_ you?!”

The woman answered. “I am Lilith, but proper introductions will have to wait. Now attack the enemy in front of you!”

“...With what?” Mishima responded in a confused tone.

“With your umbrella.”

“But, it’s just a regular umbrella...”

The angel swung his sword at an Mishima, who, in the blink of an eye, parried the attack. He then lunged forward, landing a hit on his enemy. Another two attacks was all it took to defeat the angel. Breathing heavily, Mishima fell to his knees, trying to digest what had just happened.

“Now’s not the time to rest, child.” Lilith said to him. “We need to leave this place. I can help you get there.” She reached her arm towards Mishima.

“Thank you...” Mishima replied, exhausted. He took Lilith’s hand and let her guide him to the entrance of this unsettling place.


	2. When Curry is the Highlight of your Day...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This is Morgana.” Akira commented. “Pay him no mind.”  
> Morgana meowed again, this time sounding surprised.  
> “Well, it’s not like he can understand what you say, anyways...” Akira muttered to Morgana. The cat just huffed a meow back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM BACK!
> 
> Sorry if I made you wait too long for this, I'm back in school and I injured myself....
> 
> ANYWAYS ONTO THE CHAPTER!

Mishima woke up the next day as exhausted as he had felt in his dream. “Have I really been pushing myself too hard juggling both studies and the Phan-Site lately, or did my dream just mentally drain me…?” He wondered aloud. Nevertheless he got out of bed, stretched, and headed out.

For some reason, Mishima felt like exploring the Tokyo area to shake off his exhaustion. He spent most of the day visiting the different places in Tokyo, eventually finding himself in the front of a café in Yongen-Jaya. Feeling hungry, Mishima went inside.

The café was practically empty, save for the owner. “Welcome. What can I get you?” The owner asked.

“Uh...” Mishima hesitated. He looked at the menu for an idea while taking a seat at the bar. “I’ll have the… house blend with the curry.”

“Coming right up.” The owner replied. He grabbed a jar of coffee beans and started grinding them up. Putting the jar away, he muttered to himself, “Looks like I’m running low on Blue Mountain...” The owner proceeded to finish brewing the coffee Mishima ordered, followed by serving Mishima a plate of freshly made curry. After Misima gave the owner the amount for the food, the owner called out, “Akira, I need you to man the shop for bit.”

‘ _ Akira’s here? _ ’ Mishima thought while paid the owner, a bit confused. “ _ Now that I think about it, he did mention that he lived in the attic of a café... _ ”

Mishima heard footsteps descend down some stairs. A teen with messy black hair and glasses emerged from a corner, who Mishima instantly recognized as Akira. “Going for a coffee run?” He asked the owner. Once noticing Mishima, he waved a hand at him.

The owner replied, “Take care of the café while I’m gone.” He then grabbed a hat, put it on, and walked out the door. After the door to the café swung shut, a tuxedo cat in a yellow collar jumped up onto the stool next to Mishima, which startled him.

“Whoa!” Once he settled down, Mishima started speaking to the cat in a kind voice. “Hello, are you Akira’s cat?”

The cat let out an annoyed meow.

“This is Morgana.” Akira commented. “Pay him no mind.”

Morgana meowed again, this time sounding surprised.

“Well, it’s not like he can understand what you say, anyways...” Akira muttered to Morgana. The cat just huffed a meow back.

‘ _ Does he understand what his cat is saying…? _ ’ Mishima thought with a puzzled expression.

Akira changed the subject, “What brings you around to Yongen?” He then walked behind the café’s counter. Morgana decided to curl up on the stool he was on.

“I decided to explore Tokyo.” Mishima answered, taking a sip of his coffee.

“Decided to take a break from running the Phan-Site today?”

“Yeah...” Mishima sighed. “I feel too exhausted to manage the site today.” He decided to take a bite of the curry, which made his eyes go big. “This is delicious! You get to have this everyday?”

“Yeah.” Akira responded. “I can also make curry, but it doesn’t taste as great as the one you’re eating.”

“I’ll have to thank the owner when he gets back.” Mishima thought aloud.

Akira nodded his head. “So, is there a reason you’re exhausted?” Changing the subject back, Akira curiously asked the dark-blue-hard teen.

“Oh! Uh...” MIshima stuttered. “I guess it was from a dream he had last night? It’s okay if you don’t want to hear it...”

“It’s fine.” Akira then grabbed a coffee mug from the dish rack, along with a towel, and started to dry it off..

Taking another bite out of the curry, MIshima explained, “Well, my dream started off with me about to get on the subway in Shibuya, but when I entered, it looked like a subway, but, at the same time, it wasn’t. Like, there was no one there - not even the subway cars - and there were these…  _ red tubes _ attached to the ceilings, too. It was just creepy."

At this point, Morgana was staring intently at Mishima, while Akira kept listening. “So what happened next?” The curly-haired teen asked.

“Well, I started wandering the area, then came across a ghost wearing robes and chains, that was also holding two guns. I ran away from that, but then I got attacked by an angel wielding a sword. I can’t really remember what happened next, but I heard a woman’s voice, then a mask appeared on my face, and after taking it off, I was engulfed in flames! A woman appeared next to me and somehow I defeated the angel. And that’s when my dream ended.” Mishima took a breath, “Sorry if that sounds really bizarre; I don’t even understand it myself, honestly.”

Morgana’s mouth dropped, while Akira put the coffee mug down on the counter. The cat started meowing at Akira as he whipped his phone out.

“Is… everything alright?” Mishima worriedly asked.

“Mind if I can see your phone for a sec?” Akira asked, ignoring Mishima’s question. “I just want to check something.” Morgana stopped meowing at Akira.

Mishima hesitated, “...As long as you don’t change anything on it.”

Akira took the other boy’s phone, quickly moving his thumb across the screen. Once he found whatever it was he was looking for, his usual disinterested expression changed into one of concern. After returning Mishima’s phone, Akira started to text.

Once he was done, Akira looked at Mishima with a deadpan expression and said. “I don’t believe that was a dream.”

Mishima, having no idea what was going on, asked, “Why not?”

“I’ll explain, but not right now.” Akira replied, ominously. “There’s someplace I want to take you after you’re done eating.”

“...Alright.” Mishima hesitantly answered. He could tell something was off with Akira after telling him about his dream, but he wasn’t sure why. As he finished his coffee and curry, the door opened and the owner walked back in.

“I’m gonna be stepping out for a bit.” Akira said to the owner.

“Don’t stay out too late.”

“Okay.” He then whispered to Mishima, “I’ll be waiting outside.” Akira then grabbed a bag Mishima hadn’t noticed was there and walked out of the café. Mishima thanked the owner for the food - complimenting him on the curry - and left.

Seeing Akira waiting across from the entrance, Misima asked, “So, what’s happening?”

“We’re going to Shibuya.” Akira replied. “There’s something I want to confirm.” Though Akira’s answer was too vague for Mishima’s comfort, he decided to trust his friend with whatever it was that was on his mind. 

Once in Shibuya’s Station Square, Akira pulled out his phone and tapped on the screen. He then gestured for Mishima to follow him, leading him back into the subway.

However, the place they ended up in was exactly like the one that was in Mishima’s dream. Only this time, he knew he wasn’t dreaming. Mishima looked around, seeing three differences. One was that his clothes had changed to more elegant ones, along with a mask appearing on his face. Second was that Akira, who brought him here, was wearing a grey tailcoat with an equally grey jacket and pants, red gloves, brownish-black winklepickers, and a bird like mask. Third, there was a cat-like creature in the room with them, who looked pissed off.

“Wh-where  _ are  _ we?!” Mishima started panicking, confused out of his mind. “And what is that cat-thing?!”

“I am  _ not  _ a cat!” The creature yelled, angrily jumping up and down. “I am Morgana!”

“Morgana? Isn’t that the name of your cat?” Mishima, whose anxiety was still rising, asked Akira.

“I told you I am not a cat!” Morgana angily repeated.

“Where exactly are we…?” Mishima asked, ignoring Morgana’s comment.

Akira answered, only uttering four words, “Mishima, welcome to Mementos.”


End file.
